ESPN is available on a range of streaming devices such as the Amazon Firestick. The free version has a bunch of really good live content, and you can get even more and very popular live events by getting a paid subscription to ESPN+. From time to time, apps on a Firestick don’t work, so today I will explain how to fix ESPN when it’s not working on your Firestick.
If ESPN isn’t working on your Firestick, it’s often due to outdated app versions. To resolve this, navigate to the app settings on your Firestick, select ESPN, and choose “Update” if available. This ensures the app is current, potentially fixing streaming issues and improving app performance.
Another common culprit could be your internet connection. Just like a car needs fuel to run, streaming services need a stable and fast internet connection to function properly. Try restarting your router or improving your Wi-Fi signal by moving the router closer to your Firestick. Sometimes, this simple step can enhance the connection quality, allowing ESPN to stream smoothly.
Lastly, there’s a possibility that the ESPN app’s data cache is overloaded, similar to a cluttered desk where you can’t find anything you need. Clearing the cache can be likened to tidying that desk—suddenly, everything works better. Go to the Firestick’s application settings, select ESPN, and click on “Clear cache”. This can resolve playback issues by giving the app a fresh start, much like finding your desk clean and organized, ready for efficient work.
Firestick ESPN Not Working
It’s common that an app on a Firestick will work for a very long time with no issues at all, and then stop working, or have issues loading. When this happens there’s a few fixes that will solve this issue and get it working again. Here’s what they are:
Overall, start by unplugging your Firestick at the wall outlet to power it down. Then plug it back in after 10 seconds or so. This will restart your Firestick. After that verify the internet connection to your Firestick is working, then clear the app cache, and uninstall or reinstall the ESPN app.
Each of these steps can fix the issue with ESPN not working. So, after trying each of them, open up the ESPN app again, and see if it’s not working. Here’s step by step details to perform each of the troubleshooting steps you should do to fix the ESPN app not working on your Firestick.
1. Restart your Fire TV stick and the TV it’s plugged into
There is software on a Fire TV stick, and on a TV. It’s also possible you’re using your Fire TV stick on a receiver, or have it plugged into a projector. The main thing is to restart all the devices involved. Which generally includes, the Firestick itself, and at least a TV or projector. But, if you have a home theater setup then you should restart your receiver as well.
Although restarting your Fire TV stick is more likely to be the issue, it’s important to cover all of your bases. To restart your Fire TV stick disconnect it from the power. Fire TV sticks are connected with a micro USB port that plugs into the wall outlet. So, to disconnect it from the power either unplug this cable, pull the plug for it out of the wall, or switch off the wall outlet.
That will completely power down your Firestick, and close all the apps. After about 10 seconds plug it back in to the power. Then wait for it to boot up. Your TV/Projector will return to the home screen of your Firestick. Open up the ESPN app and see if it’s working now. If it isn’t then move on to the next step.
2. Check your internet connection is fast and connected
The internet is required for ESPN to run on a Fire TV stick. If your Fire TV stick is having issues, one of the first things you should check is if your internet connection hasn’t randomly cut out.
The easiest way to do this is to grab your smartphone and connect it to the same Wi-Fi connection that your Firestick is connected to. Most people only have one Wi-Fi modem. But, if you’ve got a Google Nest, it’s possible you have multiple Wi-Fi modems that your Firestick can be connected to.
I explained how to troubleshoot a Google Nest Wi-Fi setup in this article about how to reset Google Wi-Fi. Refer to the step by step instructions there to restart a Google Wifi router. Otherwise, disable the mobile data (3G/4G/5G) on your smartphone, and make sure it’s connected to the Wi-Fi with the same Wi-Fi name that your Firestick is connected to.
If you’re at all unsure about how to do this, then contact your internet service provider (ISP), to have them help you do it over the phone. After your smartphone or a laptop/computer is connected to the same Wi-Fi connection, open up Youtube.com, and attempt to watch any random video.
It should load up really fast, and begin playing almost immediately. However, if it’s taking 20 seconds or more, or won’t load at all then there’s an issue with your internet connection. In almost all cases it can be fixed by turning your Wi-Fi router off and then turning it on again. Wi-Fi modems generally take about 2 minutes to be fully connected to the internet again.
So, give it about 5 minutes to be sure. Attempt to use your Wi-Fi connection using another device again. If it’s working perfectly fine on another device but ESPN is still not loading, then it’s very likely the ESPN app is the issue.
3. Clear the ESPN app cache
As you use apps they download files from the internet that are stored in a folder. This makes the app load faster the next time because it doesn’t need to download the files again. The folder they are saved to is known as a cache or app cache. The files in it can have an error and be ‘corrupted’.
Deleting the contents of this folder or clearing the app cache is a well known way to fix issues with apps that cause them not to work. To clear the app cache for the ESPN app:
1. Go to the settings – cog wheel icon on the top right of the screen
2. Select ‘applications’ from the menu
3. Then select the option that says ‘manage installed applications’
4. Select ‘force stop’.
5. After that, select both ‘clear cache’ and ‘clear data’.
Exit this menu, and then open the ESPN app to see if it’s working now, and playing video without any stutters.
4. Update the software for your Firestick to the latest version
Firesticks run on an operating system (OS). From time to time they Amazon update the software to fix various issues, and improve its security. If there’s a newer version of the operating system out but you’re running an older version of the OS it can cause a mismatch. And various apps that have updated in the background, or aren’t the latest version won’t work. It’s very easy to do, and can also be set up to update itself in the background. To do that use your Firestick remote to go to:
1. Settings – the cog wheel icon on the top right of the screen.
2. Select ‘My Fire TV’ from the options that are displayed there.
3. Then from the menu select ‘Check for updates’.
4. It will check with the Amazon online system to see if there is an update.
If there is, it will give you the option to install it. Otherwise, it will say that your software version is up to date.
5. Uninstall and reinstall Firestick ESPN
Doing a fresh install of the ESPN app will revert everything on the app back to the factory defaults. Which can resolve any issues with the app. Go to the list of apps that are installed on your Firestick by selecting ‘Apps’ at the top of the screen. After that move the cursor over the ESPN app icon. Then select the menu button. This is the button that has three horizontal lines. That will open up an additional menu, and on that menu select ‘uninstall’.
Reinstall the ESPN app on your Firestick
Go to the Apps menu by selecting it from the top of the screen. There is an icon with a magnifying glass. Select that to search for an app. Use your remote to type in ‘ESPN’. This will bring up the ESPN app. Hover the cursor over it and select the option that says ‘download’.
It will generally take less than 1 minute to download, and after it’s finished it will install it automatically. After that happens the download icon will change so that it says ‘open’ rather than ‘download’. This means your ESPN app is fully installed.
Firestick ESPN App Buffering
Buffering is a reasonably common issue that occurs with video streaming apps such as ESPN. It can be related to an issue with the app itself or with the internet connection. When this happens here’s the step to take to stop ESPN from buffering.
Generally, this is caused by a slow internet connection. Verify the speed of your Wi-Fi by testing it with another device. Try to watch a video on Youtube and see if it’s also buffering. If so, restart your modem. Otherwise, restart your Firestick and do the additional steps explained below.
Buffering occurs when the app can’t download the video files fast enough to play it seamlessly. Streaming apps like ESPN will download the video a little bit in advance. This relies on the internet being fast enough to keep up with the play speed of the video.
In general, broadband or higher is perfectly capable. But, if the internet speed is slowed down for some reason, it will be stuck buffering until it catches up and downloads enough of the video file. Therefore, the main cause is the internet speed, and it can be common that the internet speed does slow down every now and then.
However, in reasonably populated areas the internet virtually never cuts out. So if it does it can indicate a different issue with the ESPN app or the Firestick. I’ve outlined step by step instructions for how to fix the ESPN app when it isn’t working on a Firestick. All of them..
Firestick ESPN App Corrupted
When an App is corrupted it won’t open or when it’s running it will freeze and close itself. In order to fix the ESPN app on a Firestick when it’s corrupted, there is generally only one solution that works. This is what to do.
Overall, you should uninstall ESPN on your Firestick and then reinstall it. To do that go to ‘Apps’ at the top of your screen, and move the cursor over the ESPN app. Press the button on your Firestick remote that has 3 horizontal lines, this opens up another menu, then select ‘uninstall’.
It will take a bit of time to uninstall then you need to search for the ESPN app in the app menu and select it to install it again. After that open the ESPN app, and log in to ESPN+ using your login credentials if you have an ESPN+ subscription.
Firestick ESPN Not Loading
After installing ESPN on your Firestick when you go to open it in rare cases you can get an error that will cause it not to load or open. This happens because of an issue with the ESPN app, to fix this issue here’s what to do.
Generally, start by checking if the Wi-Fi connection your Firestick is connected to is working by using another device connected to the same Wi-Fi connection. If the internet connection is working fine, reset your Firestick, clear the cache, and if it’s still not working then reinstall the ESPN app.
Full step by step instructions for each of these steps are provided at the start of this article. Start with step one which is to ‘Restart your Fire TV stick and the TV it’s plugged into’. This is one of the most common causes of it not working. And is very quick to do. After that go through each step until you’re no longer having that issue. But, bear in mind that typically this is caused by the Wi-Fi modem needing to be restarted. The app can’t connect to the internet so it gets stuck loading. So, if you want, skip to that step first.
Firestick ESPN App Unable to Play Video
The best thing about the ESPN app is that it streams live sports. When you select a sporting event on your Fire TV stick it should load up and start playing in a few seconds. However, from time to time the video can have an issue, so this is what to do if the ESPN app doesn’t play any video when you select a match/game or event.
As a general rule, this is caused by the internet running slowly. To get it to play video, restart your Fire TV stick, and verify there isn’t an issue with your Wi-Fi modem by connecting a different device to the same Wi-Fi connection and checking the speed.
Most people only have one Wi-Fi connection so choosing the right one with another device is really easy. Watch a Youtube video on your smartphone to see if the internet is running properly. Generally, though if you’re having this issue the internet is down, and/or your Wi-Fi needs to be restarted.
Each of these troubleshooting steps has been explained in step by step detail at the start of this article. Start by going through step 1, and then see if it’s able to play video. If it doesn’t, then move on to the next step.
Firestick ESPN Needs to Reauthenticate
There is an error message that some people have reported occurs with the ESPN app on a range of devices including an Amazon Firestick. This is a known issue, and here’s what you should do if you get the error message that ‘ESPN needs to reauthenticate’.
Overall, start by restarting your Fire TV stick, force stop the Fire TV app, and clear the app cache. If it’s still having an issue and won’t log back in, uninstall and reinstall the ESPN app. Then log back in using the credentials you used to sign up on the ESPN website.
Full step by step instructions for how to perform each of these steps are explained near the start of this article. Scroll to the top and then do each of the steps in order. After doing each step open the ESPN app and see if it no longer asks you to reauthenticate.
It may be necessary to go to the ESPN website and login there first. Some people have said with other devices that they need to get a code from the ESPN website. I personally haven’t tried this method. But, if it still doesn’t work, contact ESPN through your ESPN account and ask them how to fix this issue.
Firestick ESPN App Device Update Required
When you install the ESPN app the software on your Firestick generally needs to be the latest version. Otherwise, you can get an error message that asks you to update the Firestick software first. This is how to update the software on your Firestick to the latest version.
Select the cog wheel icon at the top right of the screen using your Firestick remote. Select it, and it will open up the settings menu. From there, select ‘My Fire TV’, then ‘About’, then ‘Check for updates’, then ‘Install update’.
It can take a bit of time to install the update, as it will generally need to download a file, which it will then install. To stop this being required for future apps you install you can turn on automatic updates. This will cause your Firestick to check periodically for an update to the Firestick operating system (OS), and if there’s one available it will download it for you automatically in the background. To enable that go to the settings again, then select:
Applications > App Store > Automatic updates – turn this on.
Firestick ESPN Login Not Working
To use the ESPN app, or ESPN+ you need to first login. The login credentials are provided when you create an account on the official ESPN website. But, if your login credentials aren’t working, this is what you should do to get them working.
Verify you’re using the correct login details by going to the ESPN website on your smartphone or computer and trying to log in there. If you’re using the correct username and password, restart your Firestick. After that if it still wont let you log in follow the steps below.
It’s possible your ESPN+ subscription has expired and you need to renew it. This info should appear when you login to your ESPN account, or under the Subscriptions area of your ESPN account. If it’s not that then clear the app cache, and app data, and try to log in again. After that, if it’s still not working then uninstall the ESPN app and reinstall it again.
I’ve explained the steps to do this at the start of this article. Start with step 1 which is to restart your Firestick, and then check if it will let you log in using the correct credentials you got from the ESPN website. Where it still won’t let you login, move on to the next step. In total there are 5 steps.
Firestick ESPN Keeps Freezing
As you use apps on your Firestick some can freeze, and you need to force stop them in the settings, restart your entire Firestick, or the ESPN app will close itself on its own. This is how to stop this from happening.
Generally, this is a sign that the app cache is corrupted and needs to be cleared. Clear the app cache, and also do a restart of your Fire TV stick. If you’re still getting the freezing issue, then uninstall and reinstall the ESPN app.
The exact menu options to clear the cache, and how to do each of the other steps you should do to fix this issue are a bit tricky if you’ve never done them before. I’ve put together step by step instructions for each of these steps.
They’re at the top of this article. Start by restarting your Firestick, which is step 1, see if that has solved the issue, and then move on to each of the subsequent steps until it no longer happens.
Firestick ESPN Sound Delay
When the audio and video are out of sync on a video it’s impossible to watch. Particularly with sports where you can hear the crowd cheering at pivotal moments before you see it on the screen. If the audio has a delay when using the ESPN app on your Firestick, this is how to fix it.
Copyright protected content owner: ReadyToDIY.com and was initially posted on April 2, 2022.
Generally, this is caused by a slow internet connection or a software issue with your Firestick, or the ESPN app. Check your internet is working at the normal speed using another device like a smartphone, restart your Firestick, and clear the ESPN app cache.
There are step by step instructions for how to do each of these steps. As well as, 3 other steps that can work to fix this issue. Because it’s hard to know ahead of time what the issue is. It’s a good idea to do each of the steps one by one.
Start with step 1, which is to restart your Firestick device. Then do each of the steps in order, and check if the sound is working normally after each step.
Firestick ESPN Won’t Install
The ESPN app is installed from the Apps menu on your Fire TV stick. If there’s an issue with it installing when you select the install button nothing happens. To get the ESPN app to install when it won’t, here’s what causes it and how to get it to work.
Overall, it’s caused by no internet connection or your Firestick needs to be restarted. The software on a Firestick like a computer or smartphone can freeze and certain apps, or features won’t work. Restarting it is very likely to fix this issue, otherwise do the steps below.
Copyright article owner is ReadyToDiy.com for this article. This post was first published on April 2, 2022.
Check that there isn’t a pending update for your Firestick. If the operating system (OS) on your Firestick is not the latest version you will generally get an error message that says that it can’t be installed because the software is out of date. At the top of this article I have explained step by step the troubleshooting steps to solve this issue.
Start with step 1, which is to restart your Fire TV stick, then work your way through each of the steps one by one. After each step check to see if the ESPN app will install.
Firestick ESPN App Not Found
There are many different sports streaming apps available on a Firestick. One of the most popular is ESPN, however, if you go to search for it, you can run into an issue where it won’t show up. The reason why this is and if there’s a work around is explained below.
As a general rule, you’re not in a region that supports the ESPN app. There is no way to get ESPN on a Firestick that is outside of the recommended regions according to the official ESPN website. It’s possible to use a VPN/proxy but this is against the Firestick terms of service.
Therefore, if you’re outside the USA, it’s best to use one of the many sport streaming apps rather than ESPN. If you are in the USA and the app is still not found then scroll to the top of this article and follow the instructions for how to restart your Firestick device. Also, do step 4 which is to make sure the software on your Firestick is updated to the latest version, it also covers how to do that.
Firestick ESPN Won’t Download
The general way that you install an app on a Firestick like ESPN is to search for it in the App tab on your Firestick. Once you find the app you just select it to open the install page, where you can select install. It will download the app and install it for you in one go but if nothing happens when you select install, here’s what you should do to get it work.
Start by restarting your Fire TV stick. Do that by disconnecting it from the power, then wait for about 10 seconds and plug it back in. After that see if it will download. If not, check that the internet on your Firestick is working, and update the Firestick software to the latest version.
I’ve put step by step instructions for each of these troubleshooting steps at the start of this article. The ones you want to do are step 1, 2, and step 4. Do each step, and then see if it will work.
As a general rule, restart your Firestick device by unplugging it from the power source, then plug it back in. Following that if it’s still not working clear the app cache, check the internet connection is working, update the software to the latest version, and uninstall and reinstall the ESPN app.
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ReadyToDIY is the owner of this article. This post was published on April 2, 2022.